


A Promise of a Lifetime

by hereismyhappyplace



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Depression, Established Relationship, M/M, Mentions of Suicidal Thoughts, Mpreg, Omega Verse, Platonic Relationships, Terminal Illnesses, established marriage
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-06
Updated: 2018-01-08
Packaged: 2019-03-01 03:47:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,509
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13286337
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hereismyhappyplace/pseuds/hereismyhappyplace
Summary: “This is asking for so much, but I really need you to promise me something.”Somehow, without the other alpha saying it yet, Issei thinks he knows what will come out of his mouth next. But he doesn’t try to interrupt, remaining still and silent beside him simply so Hajime could keep speaking.“I need you to take good care of him for me, Issei.”





	1. Promises

**Author's Note:**

> Just posting stuff from my blog. I accept prompts and write stories based off of them so feel free to send me some! ♡
> 
> [You can find me here](https://here-is-my-happy-place.tumblr.com/)

The sides of the wooden chair digs harshly into his hips, downright painful in accompany with his numbed cheeks, loss of sensation from the lack of pillow in his seat. It’s really more of a torture device than a suitable chair for sitting. He wonders what would possess someone to include seats like these in a hospital of all places.

Issei leans back, crossing his ankles and resting his head against the wall, attempting to find what little comfort he could. His legs still hurt from all the pacing around and he doesn’t know which pain out pains the other the most, but the hum of the florescent light above is starting to give him a headache. Or maybe it’s just the amount of thoughts beating around in his too tired brain.

He’d come as soon as he’d gotten the call: they were stopping the chemo treatments.

The throbbing sensation in his chest is what probably hurts most of all.

It doesn’t matter how much he had prepared himself before this. He knew it was a serious diagnosis; knew the chances of survival—the statistics for how many patients typically survived (with some relapsing back even after that)—and knew just as well as the doctors did that the odds weren’t in their favor. Hope had been the only thing sustaining him—all of them—up until this point and even that proved to be failing now too.

Issei manages a shaky sigh, swallowing once just to try at keep everything at bay before it all came crashing down on him.  

He couldn’t be a mess now, he hasn’t even visited his room yet.

Lucky for him, it just so works out that the next time Issei happens to blink open his eyes, he sees one of the nurses behind the desk waving him in. With limbs literal lead and body pretty much on autopilot, he makes his way over, legs shaking the whole way. She smiles at him as soon as he approaches, a soft and sad expression donning her doll-like face. She gestures over in a familiar direction.

“It’s your turn to visit now, Matsukawa-san. Please try to remain quiet as you’re walking through the halls to respect the other patients. Also, please keep in mind that Iwaizumi-san has other visitors waiting to visit after you.”

It takes a moment to register her words, but when he does he nods, not sure if his small whisper of _thank you_ actually reaches her. He’s moving again, body still moving like it’s not its own, following down checkered tiled floors next to the stark, white walls, focusing on the sound of his heavy footsteps all the way.

The hand that reaches out to take the doorknob trembles; there’s not a single part of him ready to walk through this door. But he tries to be mindful of the other people waiting after him, which is what finally gives him to courage to walk in.  

The first thing he notices is the darkened state of the room, only illuminated by the sun peeking through the closed blinds. A heart monitor echoes almost too loudly in the small space with the smell of antiseptic burning his nostrils immediately. His eyes flicker briefly to the one figure asleep on the couch and then the person they were all here for, propped comfortably up in his bed.

Hajime smiles the moment their eyes catch; Issei tries not to think about how feeble it looks.

He watches his former vice-captain raise an arm (the one without the IV) up and to his lips, holding a finger to them while briefly glancing to Tooru’s slumbering form squished up on the tiny loveseat. He tilts his head over to the same torturous chair Issei had been resting in moments ago, only this time he doesn’t complain when he sits down, leaning over the bed railing so Hajime could easily whisper to him.

The lump in his throat grows at the quiet, “Thank you for being here, Issei.”

“As if I wouldn’t, you’re one of my best friends.”

Hajime huffs a laugh, probably noticing his offense. Sunken eyes carry the impact his weak smile wasn’t capable of showing. “You’re one of my best friends too, Issei. God, you’ve just done so much for me and for Tooru…I don’t even know where to start.”

“Don’t start anywhere then. It’s not like you haven’t done just as much back for me.” One of his hands move to clench onto the sidebar, grounding in a way that his mind wasn’t prepared to be.

“Alphas gotta take care of their fellow alphas.” Hajime tells with certainty. “There’s probably a rule written somewhere about it.”

“Even if not, you’ve proven to all of us that’s how alphas are meant to be.”

Hajime huffs again, hazy eyes taking a moment to blink shut, a barely there pinch to his brow appearing briefly.

Issei leans up closer from his seat in concern. “You okay? Need me to get the nurse?”

There’s a small head shake. “Don’t bother. They’ve done pretty much all they can to make things comfortable for me.”

Issei sits back again after he nods, looking away only to not focus on what the insinuation meant.

The room grows quiet again, besides the steady beat of the monitor and the occasional soft snore from their sleeping couch beauty. On a whim, Issei glances over at him, taking in Oikawa’s relaxed expression, then his heavily rounded middle that he cradled so carefully in his sleep.

The image brings on another onslaught of thoughts that he still isn’t prepared to think about.

“Issei.”

Eyes snap back to Hajime’s, noticing he too had been looking over at the omega. There’s no summary of words in the Japanese language to even begin to describe what a gaze like that held.

Love, plain and simple, is all he could think.

Hajime doesn’t continue on with what he has to say immediately, diluted stare roaming over that too tall body on that too small couch as if it would be the very last time he could. Issei bites his lip and moves his eyes over to the working heart monitor; seeing the way Hajime watched him was too personal for him to intrude. He only looks back when Hajime takes a breath, one to make him start talking again. Those eyes remain watching his resting loved one.  

“I need you—” Hajime pauses, lips pursing as if he were thinking against what he wanted to say.

Whatever keeps him though dissolves just as quick. He decides to say it anyway. “This is asking for so much, but I really need you to promise me something.”

Somehow, without the other alpha saying it yet, Issei thinks he knows what will come out of his mouth next. But he doesn’t try to interrupt, remaining still and silent beside him simply so Hajime could keep speaking.

“I need you to take good care of him for me, Issei.”

The fist still holding onto the bar clenches it, will trying to force away the sudden urge to cry. Issei can’t answer when he’s overly choked up like this, but lucky for him, he doesn’t need to. Hajime keeps speaking.

“I’m not going to pretend anymore that I don’t see what this all has done to him. I mean, we’ve known for years what could happen since the diagnoses, that this could be the outcome. Even when we were trying all the different treatments, I still tried to prepare him the best I could for just in case.”

There’s another long pause; Issei isn’t sure but there might be a sniffle in between before Hajime’s voice goes on. “He’s so determined in whatever he puts his mind to. You know and I know how he can be when he believes full heartedly in something.”

Hajime sounds so proud, if not a touch sad. “He’s like a pillar of unwavering strength when he needs to be—when I need him to be. Honestly, I don’t think I would have made it this long without him. He has stayed so tough for me through all of this—even when we found out about the pup and what it could mean for their future if I didn’t—”

He cuts himself off, clearing his throat. His next words come out as a soft whisper. “He’s still so strong even now. I don’t think he’s even cried at all. He’s just—it’s so Tooru. God, I really love him…”

Hajime finally looks away to meet his eyes again, expression so open and raw Issei suddenly doesn’t think he remembers how to breathe.

It’s with a torn expression that the alpha continues. “This is so fucking selfish of me Issei,  but I want—no, I _need_ to know someone’s going to look after him. As much as I wish I could take care of him forever, I can’t be here for him anymore. I need to know I’m leaving him in good hands.”

His face tightens but the love is there when he whispers. “He’s my entire world…”

“It’s so wrong, Issei. For me to make you shoulder this much. But Tooru trusts you and I trust you…so fucking much. You’re the only one I know that can take care of him like he’s going to need. I know him to well; I know he’s not going to be honest with anyone after I’m gone about how he’s really feeling. He’s going to bottle it up inside and hurt himself, I know he’s not going to be okay.”

“God Issei,” He continues after a pause. “I just can’t stand the thought of him doing that to himself, even if I won’t be around to witness it. I need someone who knows how to break down those thick walls of his. I need someone to take care of him because I can’t. I made sure to ask Makki to watch over him too, but Tooru’s not going to want to bother a newlywed.”

Hajime shakes his head, taking a deep breath. The air in the room feels like it shifts suddenly.

Hajime being here and pretty much wasting away in this hospital room had been going on for so long, that it’s hard remember a time this weak and feeble form hasn’t been what his longtime friend has always looked like. It’s just too easy to picture him as this thin and boney man, far from the full-fledge athlete he was in his younger days. Right now though, the appearance of his old, familiar looks of determination is shining through, washing away that fragility for the moment.

His eyes don’t leave Issei’s as he says, “This is the only request I have before I die. I just need to know that you will take care of Tooru and our pup from now on.”

There is a crack at the end in the alpha’s voice and that’s what finally does Issei in. Before he even knows it, his body has moved to lean over against the sidebars, openly crying while still trying to affirm his answer.

“Of course I will,” He chokes out, repeating it again when no other words can form behind it. “Of course I will. I promise, I’ll do it for you.”

Fingers root themselves through his thick hair and he registers he’s being pulled into a hug. He stands up before Hajime has to take the effort in trying to pull him forward, carefully tucking his face into the crook of his friend’s shoulder. Even with his frail, shaky limbs, Hajime holds to him tight, pressing a litany of _thank yous_ right where his own head is pressed up against his chest.

“I know I’m leaving them in the best hands there is.” His voice remains so sure, it makes the alpha cry harder against him. Hajime squeezes him tighter. “Thank you Issei for doing this for my family—for me. You are the greatest friend a guy like me could ever have asked for.”

Issei holds onto those words, knowing they would be ones he’d never forget in his lifetime.  


	2. Progress

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I think I’m tired of being sad all the time.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just posting stuff from my blog. I accept prompts and write stories based off of them so feel free to send me some! ♡
> 
> [You can find me here](https://here-is-my-happy-place.tumblr.com/)   
> 

What usually wakes him is when he feels the trembling in his arms.

By now he’s adapted in the way that he needs to, senses keen and well attuned to picking up even the faintest cries, the dry little heave that could easily become something more alarming if he didn’t attend to him right away. He starts with his hands by rubbing them on his back, caressing fingers gently brushing over each notch of Tooru’s spine. When he makes it to his shoulders he just massages there, fingers digging slightly into overly tense muscles, trying to ease them though he realizes it’s a futile effort.

It helps more if he can fill the room with his presence, letting the omega find some comfort in his strong, protective scent. It only works though if he has it in him to keep it soothing and lately he just hasn’t had the strength to fake it. But luckily he still has his hands to cradle and a mouth that whispers what it needs. The omega in his arms always curls closer, taking in what Issei willingly has to give. It’s gotten a little harder now the bigger Tooru’s stomach has swelled, but they manage, even if it means turning him gently over and spooning against his back.

It doesn’t seem as though he needs to this morning, the omega appears content with just his head resting against Issei’s chest for now.

They don’t move from that position for a very long time.

His phone alarm rings from wherever it’s been buried under the pillows and he reaches an arm back to fish for it, hitting the off option when prompted. He doesn’t check the time, already knowing it was a few minutes pass ten. Instead he goes and resets the alarm, ensuring it would go off again tomorrow at the same time.

“Let’s get you showered and some breakfast in you.” He whispers to his bedmate, dragging fingers through unruly bed hair.

Tooru doesn’t give an answer or any kind of agreement, but he doesn’t try to fight him when he moves to sit them both up. It’s always progress for them when there’s no struggle to get him out of bed for the day.

He scoops him up in his arms, shaking slightly at the addition of the omega’s weight. It’s not like he’s ridiculously heavy, but the baby weight and the accumulation from almost never leaving bed gives Issei a bit of challenge. Luckily, it’s not a far walk to get him bathroom, his apartment being made for one resident after all.  

Tooru’s carefully set down on the tub’s edge, propped against the wall so Issei can start to remove his clothes.

There’s a process to this and it always starts with socks first, moving up to pull down sweat pants next, and then the briefs after them, all of it before Issei even thinks to come anywhere near his shirt. Fingers barely brush the hem when Tooru lets out a soft whimper. Issei pulls back, waiting a few moments to try and gauge, carefully examining that brief flash of distress before scooting a little closer to him.

All of it probably seems unnecessary, but Issei knows better than to ignore what this shirt really means to him. Though it’s probably lost the scent by now, it was still one of Hajime’s favorites and Tooru treasures it more than he treasures himself.

Issei slowly rests his hands on the width of his thighs, slowly dragging his fingers back to try and touch the hem again.  

It takes very gentle coaxing, but they do get it off of him eventually, Issei carefully folding it once he’s tugged it off and showing Tooru exactly where he sets it on the counter, kicking away the rest of the clothes tossed on the ground. He helps guide him down into the tub, turning on the water and testing it with his hand before taking the detachable head to start slowly rinsing the omega off. He plugs up the tub once he’s finished wetting him down, letting the water fill to its normal level. He gives Tooru a few moments to try and relax in the warm water before pouring a little shampoo in his hands. Gently, the alpha begins to lather it into his dripping hair—it was getting a little long, they needed to get it cut soon.

Issei freezes when a hand suddenly grasps onto his wrist.

With wide-eyes, he watches Tooru move with shaky hands to start rubbing the shampoo in himself. Issei draws his soapy hands back, resting them over the edge of the tub, not attempting to rinse them for fear of stopping Tooru from continuing.

Those hands never stop and he watches with rapt attention as Tooru slowly rubs it all in.

Wordlessly he reaches for the showerhead again, seeing brown eyes close without any prompt. Issei rinses, his own hands too, until it’s all out, petting back sopping bangs when he’s done so they aren’t in his eyes.

He reaches for the conditioner next.

There’s a moment of hesitation, eyes flickering from the bottle, to his own hand, to Tooru, wondering if it’s too much to hope for the same thing to happen again.

To his surprise, a pruning hand reaches out again for him, cupped just slightly so nothing would spill. Issei blinks, fumbling with the bottle before clicking it open and dumping a good amount into the smaller hand. Tooru pulls it back, bringing it back up to start lathering in the conditioner just as it did the shampoo.

The alpha doesn’t try to hold back his little smile.

Tooru’s arms drop back down again, head leaning forward to rest back atop his drawn up knees. He leaves the rest to Issei once again and the alpha can’t say he minds much, especially in knowing today was seemingly one of Tooru’s better days. He pulls the nozzle once again to rinse everything away, scrubbing the rest of him down with body soap before rinsing that away too. He waits for the bath to completely drain before attempting to raise Tooru up out of the tub, wrapping him in a fluffy blue towel to dry him off.

Back on the edge of the tub, Issei shimmies the shirt back on him. There’s a pang in his chest when he notices the omega reach to pick up the collar, breathing in deeply to try and catch a whiffed of a familiar scent. The way he practically wilts when there’s not one to be found is heartbreaking.

Issei doesn’t hesitate to reach out and take Tooru’s hand. He slowly pulls it up, cupping it over his neck, but most importantly the bondmark there that could never fade; not until the omega let another alpha stake their claim over it. Brown, droopy eyes look up to him when he realizes what Issei has intended for him to and words don’t even have to leave his lips for Issei to read his silent _thank you._

He finishes putting Tooru’s clothes on, picking up the dirtied ones to toss over into the bin. He lifts the omega off the tub and onto the sink counter to start blow drying his hair. Tooru doesn’t once take his hand off that mark, but somehow he looks a little brighter.

He holds onto Issei’s arm and lets himself be walked to the table.

“Omelettes okay today?” He asks while digging around in the fridge, already reaching to grab the eggs, knowing already what answer he would receive.

Tooru hums expectedly, already having laid his head against the table. His gaze zeros in to the only window in the small kitchen and, reading what he wants, Issei reaches to pop it open, a slight breeze blowing in when he does.

Goosebumps crawl up his arms but Issei ignores it favor of grabbing the soy sauce, adding a little in to the egg mixture. He glances back a few times just to check that Tooru wasn’t shivering and still enjoying the chilly breeze.

The pan sizzles when he dumps the egg mixture in and the alpha keeps a careful eye on it, afraid it will burn like last time if he doesn’t. He’s not much of a cook, never really has been, but he’s smart enough to realize it wasn’t healthy to feed a pregnant omega nothing but takeout food.

He rolls the egg forward, making a slight face when it comes out misshapen. But it smells pretty good and is definitely not burnt and edible so he calls it his win for the day. He sets it on the table after signing the characters for ‘Tooru’ in ketchup. He quickly fixes his own dish so can hurry and sit down with him, not forgetting to set out the third, unused plate on the table in front of an empty chair.

Issei puts both hands together. “Let’s eat.” He murmurs down towards his plate.

Tooru, again to his surprise, quietly repeats it after him.

The alpha digs into his meal if only to keep himself from gaping in surprise.

 _Today must really be a good day_ he thinks, knocking on the table lightly as not to jinx their luck.

It really is strange though for Tooru to be so willing to participate out of nowhere like this. It usually took a room full of friends and family to get him up and doing anything. And even then all of it was faked and forced, him falling right back into that depressive spell the moment everyone leaves.

Hajime hadn’t been lying when he told him Tooru would be like that with everyone.

But Issei isn’t a part of that everyone.

There’s no proof to this assumptions, but Issei gets the feeling Tooru had been awake during that conversation in the hospital room with Hajime. The very last meaningful one between them before the alpha became too exhausted to have visitors, besides immediate family.

Something is different between them; it has been different for them since the first time he found Tooru curled up in the bed Hajime and him shared, sobbing openly into a pillow that wasn’t his. Tooru allows himself to be what he really feels on the inside with him. Not even Hanamaki has seen the lengths it takes to try and get him out of bed every day. To at least walk around a little, if nothing else, so it seemed less like he was wasting away too. He might try to fight him a lot of times, but out of anyone, he definitely listens and trusts Issei the most.

He wonders if this is Hajime’s doing.

The alpha takes away their plates when both of them are finished eating, setting them in the sink and taking the sponge in hand to start to washing them.

The sound of a wooden chair scraps against the floor behind him and Issei immediately drops both sponge and dish when he realizes Tooru’s trying to get up.

“You want to go lay back down?” He asks, wondering if he’d pushed his luck too much with keeping Tooru up so long.

The strangest feeling buzzes through his body when Tooru simply shakes his head no, accepting his help up but pushing him back lightly with a hand.

He looks down at his their feet—or Issei’s feet at least. “I’ll be in the living room. You stay here and finish what you’re doing.”

It’s so rare to hear Tooru’s voice when they are alone like this that sometimes Issei forgets what it really sounds like. It usually takes what little social capacities he has to appease everyone else into thinking he was doing okay. And because of that he conserves just for when people come to check on him.

Not that it matters, by now Issei’s learned how to tell most of his wants just by reading his expressions. He thinks he understands what Hajime used to mean when he said the most expressive part of Tooru is his eyes.

And his eyes, when he looks back up at him, tells him that it’s okay. He’s going to go to the living room, Issei can do the dishes and everything is going to be okay.

He smiles softly at the omega, petting his overgrown curls back before letting him go.

He takes this chance to do all the dishes (even the ones from previous meals) and doesn’t hurry to get them finished. He even chooses to take the time to wipe down the counters and give the floor the sweep it had been in desperate need of. When finished, the alpha pulls off his apron, hanging it back where it’s supposed to go and makes his way into the living room, slippers scuffing lightly against the floor as he moves.

Tooru’s wrapped up in a blanket—one of Hajime’s—on the couch with a movie playing on screen—Hajime’s favorite—when he steps into the room. He glances up, nodding with his head for Issei to come join him.

The omega’s head comes to rest against his shoulder when Issei makes himself comfortable and he even shares a little of the blanket with him.

Things stay quiet between them, but Tooru’s silences are something he’s become painfully used to.  

Which is why he doesn’t expect it when Tooru suddenly speaks.

“This is Hajime’s favorite part,” He whispers, hand extending to point at the scream. “He always said here that if Godzilla was real, he’d want to fight him.”

It’s been a while since remembered letting himself laugh and _mean_ it. The stupidity in that statement though was just so _Hajime_ , he couldn’t stop himself from doing so.

“That is the most Hajime thing I think Hajime’s ever said.” He responds to him honestly, another huff of laughter escaping him.   

Tooru doesn’t smile outright, but Issei can see a brightness to his eyes again. He leans back against his shoulder, content on watching the movie again.

Issei doesn’t know what possess him, but a little further into the movie he just has to remark. “You seem like you’re doing better today.”

He notices the way Tooru’s fingers clench into the blanket and he almost regrets opening his mouth to him at all, but then there’s a soft sigh against his shoulder.

“I had a dream about Hajime last night.” Tooru tells him.

Issei doesn’t answer but he nods; that would explain why Tooru woke up like he did.

He watches as thin hands smooth down the well-worn blanket on their laps. Strangely enough, Issei finds himself focusing onto his fingers, remembering a time when Tooru used to keep them long and painted.

He comes back when Tooru speaks again. “I think I’m tired of being sad all the time.”

Issei opens his mouth, but nothing comes out.

Tooru doesn’t need his answer though. “You know, I never once saw myself living without Hajime in my life. Not before he got sick and especially not after he was sick. Without even thinking twice about it I just told myself I’d just follow him if ever he died.”

The breath in his lungs feels like it leaves all at once. The honesty in which Tooru means that is bone-chilling to the core. The omega doesn’t seem to notice though, the way  he’s made the alpha feels like he’s just been punched in the stomach a few good times.

He picks at the skin around his nails.

“I don’t know if Hajime ever realized that.” He continues on, voice light, almost airy, nothing at all serious for what he was talking about. “I don’t know if he realized the only reason I had it in me to be so supportive was because I knew I could go right after him without any consequences.”

His head picks up of his shoulder and the omega looks down, grazing a hand lightly over his stomach. “But I got pregnant and things quickly changed; Hajime he—our pup meant _so_ much to him. He already loved them even though I think he knew he’d never get to meet them. He told me every day that I was going to be the best mother; that nothing in this world made him happier than knowing I had another someone I could love whole-heartedly, just like I love him.”

Issei reaches to take his hand without even having to look. Tooru squeezes it thankfully, bringing the back of his other hand to cover his mouth. His next words come out shakily. “That jackass knew what he was doing whether he realized it or not. He’s always known me so well. Better than I think anybody ever will, myself included. Even if he never realized what I planned to do—or maybe he did, who knows. But we all really lucked out because there isn’t a damn thing in this world that could make me leave a child without both of its parents.”

Tooru squeezes harder, a few tears sliding down his cheeks. “Hajime in my dream knew it too. That he was so lucky our baby was with me and could help me grow even stronger because I was never meant to die young. I told him he was being selfish, for not letting me make my own decisions and deal with my grief the way I wanted. That asshole laughed at me for it too. He knows he won and it’s really not fair.”

He sounds bitter in a way that is still somehow soft-hearted. Like he was upset but almost _couldn’t_ be with Hajime for it.

“But he was right—is right. Unintentionally or not, he managed to save my life. And even though waking up in a bed every day without him feels like living in my own personal hell, I think it’s wrong to let myself waste away like this anymore. I have to be a mother soon for godsakes; I can’t spend the rest of my life letting you take care of me and my child in bed. What if you manage to burn their milk along with our eggs?”

The stab of humor at him isn’t missed and Issei doesn’t lose his chance to tease back. “I’ll go back to bringing you take out if this is how you’re going to respect my cooking.”

Tooru’s head falls back against his shoulder, a ghost of what could be a laugh passing his lips. “Please no, I’m already heavier than I want to be. Besides, you know I’m thankful for your cooking. I’m thankful for everything you’ve done for me and my family.”

The omega squeezes his hand again. “Issei, I’m not going to promise I’ll wake up tomorrow and be able to be like this again. Honestly, if I hadn’t had that dream, I don’t think I would have let you pull me out of bed in the first place. Things are a big mess in my mind and I don’t know if they ever will get completely better, but I’ve got to take a stance somehow. I’ve got a child that is going to need me to be strong and I have you always watching over my back. I have my two families that love me, my friends who wants to help me and the memory of my loving husband who would never want to see me like this.”

“I doubt this is going to be easy knowing me, but even if I can’t pull myself up tomorrow, this is still me promising to try to pick myself up a little more, even if it means washing my own hair for the first time in weeks. Honestly, I don’t feel ready to face this at all, but something has to change. I need to pick up all these broken pieces and put them somewhat together again.”

Issei thought after waiting for so long to hear Tooru say that, it would be something more groundbreaking. Earthshattering. To be able to hear that former captain in him commanding things around like he used to on the court, Issei swore hearing something like that again would blow his mind.

Instead though, he just feels…light. Like a very tiny miniscule burden disappearing off his shoulders that he hadn’t even been aware was there. It’s how he finds himself leaning over to rest his head atop the omega’s, words easy when he says, “Only somewhat Tooru? My, the Tooru I know wouldn’t settle until things were back just the way he wanted. Are you sure you haven’t been replaced by a mutant lizard of some kind?”

The alpha has to bury his face into his hair at the sound of that laugh, the water in his eyes too much to try and hold back.  

He knows this grieving process isn’t over by a long shot, but at least now they’ve made more progress.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i broke it so i thought i should fix it

**Author's Note:**

> i'm crying too don't worry
> 
> you can yell at me on [tumblr](https://here-is-my-happy-place.tumblr.com/) if you like (i should probably change it from here is my happy place lol)


End file.
